[mythtv-users] Channels with poor quality create HUGE recordings

[Phil Buescher]

I've been running Myth for a couple years now.  I'm just running it
with a software based encoder Happauge WinTV-Radio.

I moved to a new town just recently, and a different cable company, of
course - I have Comcast now.
Anyway, onto the problem...

Certain channels come in pretty fuzzy, with bad quality, showing
diagonal lines on the screen.  Most channels come in just fine and
look great.  These channels come in all fuzzy on a normal TV as well.

Here's the big problem though - on those channels with the poor
quality, the recording sizes are abnormally HUGE!
We're talking about 3-4 times larger than the recordings should be. 
For instance, a normal hour-long show will take up 0.74 gigs, but the
ones on the flaky channels will take up anywhere from 2.5 to 3.5 gigs!
 It's really crazy!

I didn't change anything besides my tvlisting feeds on my MythTV box,
so I know it isn't something I did.  I didn't change my recording
format, I didn't change my setup, and this is certainly a per-channel
problem.  Only two channels I know of have this poor quality and HUGE
recordings problem.

I did get basic cable, nothing digital, no satellite or anything goofy
- just the basic standard cable package with no need for a set top
box.

Could this be that these channels are actually HDTV, and that's why
they're taking up so much room and come in all fuzzy on tuners that
aren't HDTV-ready?  Or can it just be that channels with this poor
quality problem simply take up a ton more room to record?  I have DSL,
but could I be receiving some interferance that has to do with cable
Internet?  I don't know - I'm totally guessing because I have no clue
anymore.

I really need some help, as the two channels we record the most shows
off (shows that are on while we're at work), are the ones that have
this problem - and even with over 300 gigs of HD space, I'm running
out rather fast.

I really don't want to have to re-transcode/mencode the shows after
recording them, since that's a pain - any idea what the problem is? 
The cable installer thought the poor quality was due to bad wiring,
but between him and I, we replaced every single run of cable in and
outside of the house with high-quality wiring and ends.  The installer
even replaced the cable running from the neighborhood box that runs to
our house.  We never did figure out why these channels come in fuzzy. 
He left, proclaiming the problem fixed - and it wasn't fixed, he just
checked one of the channels that come in just fine.  I even bought an
expensive coax tester, and all the runs are totally clean.

I tried putting a signal booster in front of my MythTV box, but that
had no effect.  I also tried an RF filter, to no effect.  I'm totally
stumped and frustrated.

Please help - any suggestions or insights are appreciated.